This stroller puts a Twinkle in our eyes and in our step!
Written: Jul 05 '01
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Pros: easy to maneuver, fold, and store; snug ride for baby!
Cons: too hot on very hot days
The Bottom Line: Superb stroller for walking - its compactness and smooth ride were big draws for us. Makes us want to walk more often and longer!
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| teapot100's Full Review: Baby Jogger Twinkle |
Before our daughter was born, my husband and I enjoyed walking for exercise. We live in a small town in New England so paved, flat roads are not easily found. We thought we could tough it out, if we stuck to routes within town with our other stroller. We quickly found that while the stroller was great for taking Baby out to the mall, it just didn't equate to a smooth and comfortable ride for either our daughter or us. We decided that we needed something that could withstand the fair amount of rugged terrain we often encounter on our walks.
After doing a good amount of research online, we decided on a Baby Jogger Twinkle. The Baby Jogger name is synonymous with excellent jogging strollers so we were happy to find that they had a model that was more suited for walking. Since owning this Twinkle, we've experienced a myriad of benefits:
Style: This stroller is too cute! I'm not sure why it is - maybe because it's a little shorter, a little stockier-looking than its more serious jogger cousins. Maybe it's the Twinkle's "swoopy" form, as the Baby Jogger website describes it. It comes in 2 colors - jade and purple. We bought the jade which is pretty snazzy-looking - you don't see many jade strollers out there! There's also a basket that holds up to 5 pounds - a jacket or blanket, a bottle of water, but not much else of any significant weight.
Comfort: We thought our daughter looked pretty comfortable in our other stroller, but once we put her in the Twinkle, we knew we had seriously misjudged our daughter's comfort level. Initially we were afraid that because the seat cannot be adjusted, it would be uncomfortable for long rides with a curious child, but she absolutely loves sitting in it and does not fuss! What's even more of a plus is that she naps in it, something she refuses to do in our Peg. The high sides and the permanently-reclined seat seem to make her feel secure and snug during rides. The 5-point harness fits well too and the straps don't keep falling off of her shoulders, which is annoying - believe me! While the sides are somewhat higher than in a regular umbrella-type stroller, they in no way block the child's view from any of the scenery around. And what a smooth ride it gives! The pneumatic tires are a step above the wheels of our regular stroller in terms of giving a comfortable ride.
The Twinkle also has a retractable sun canopy with a see-through window for your child and you to check up on each other. The window does have a flap that you can flip over so that it doesn't need to be exposed all the time.
For mom and dad's comfort, the handle is covered with a foam material that makes for a soft grip. I'm short at 5'3" and my husband is about 5'9" and both of us are quite comfortable with the Twinkle's 37.5" height and we haven't kicked the tires by accident yet.
Maneuverability: I've read that many jogging strollers tend to veer to one side or the other, rather than straight when in use, but I think it has more to do with how well the front wheel is aligned during assembly or as needed rather than a fault with the stroller's design. The front wheel does not pivot so in order to turn corners or to maneuver around objects on the road, you tip the stroller back slightly so that the front wheel is lifted up off the ground. We've used it on asphalt, gravel, sand, and grass so far and it's handled each terrain well. Easy and smooth.
Compactness: With an unsnap here, an unsnap there, and a pulling up of a bar by the basket - the Twinkle is easy to fold. To use it, you just reverse the process. Easy as 1-2-3. And it fits nicely in the trunk of a Toyota Corolla. Assembled, the Twinkle is 44.5" in length, but folded it is 37" long. And it only weighs 16 pounds!
Safety: The Twinkle boasts a 5-point harness and a rear wheel parking brake. The Twinkle also comes with a tether strap that you wear around your wrist or hold in your hand so that if you happen to be walking a little fast downhill, the stroller won't escape. Pretty handy, I say. The aluminum frame and the pneumatic tires all seem stable enough and so far we have had no tipping - it's sturdy enough for us to say that we don't expect there to be any.
The Twinkle also fits children up to 50 pounds and there is a 2-year warranty on the frame and a 1-year warranty on the seat and wheels.
The only con of the Twinkle that we have found is that it makes for a very hot ride for the child on very hot and sunny days. It's not a stroller that you want to go strolling about in on 100-degree weather.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 99
Age Range of Child: 12 to 36 Months
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Epinions.com ID:
teapot100
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Member: Nisa
Location: NH
Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
SAHM with a DD and WOHH.
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